Unique exhibit honoring Black History

An intimate look into the personalities of 33 influential African Americans titled "Contemporary Images of African Americans," debuts tomorrow at the University Museum.

The exhibit consists of portraits of famous African Americans ranging from Arthur Ashe, the first African American to win a Davis Cup in tennis, to Maya Angelou, a poet and civil-rights activist.

Dona Bachman, director of the University Museum, said the exhibit is unique because a number of the artists portrayed, such as Arthur Ashe, have passed on, making the exhibit a legacy.

Photographer Fern Logan, an associate professor in Cinema and Photography, is the artist behind the portraits. Her work has been exhibited at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C and The Brooklyn Museum of Art in New York City.

The exhibit is a collection of portraits that Logan has shot over the years, each one with a description of the circumstances during her meeting with the artist and the mood she was trying to convey in the photograph.

Logan said she become motivated to begin her work 20 years ago because media images of African Americans were negative and stereotypical such as African Americans living "entrenched in poverty," and violent images.

"I knew there was another side to the African American community," Logan said. "I wanted to bring these artist into the forefront."

Logan said she choose these particular artists because they were successful and well known at a time when African Americans were not recognized for their contributions to society.

"I want to raise awareness that African Americans have always formed a intricate fabric of this society," Logan said.

"It's an important time to focus on the contributions of African Americans - not just as entertainers," she said. "We should see this month as a time to reflect."